first-time home owner, business owner, parent...

Laundry Closet Curtain Dilemma + An {Itsy Bitsy} Baby Swing Update

I have a super cute new update to my laundry closet!

When we moved into this house, our laundry closet had a proper closet door. When we purchased and installed our new washer and dryer, we had to remove the doors in order to get the units into the closet…and then we lost the hardware. The hardware could easily be replaced, but I decided to put a curtain up to see how I liked it. We built a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling built-in on this wall and that, along with the 3 doors {1 bedroom door and 2 closets}, there is a lot of white painted wood and trim. I like how curtains add a soft, casual layer to a space and thought it might break up all the white wood and trim.

Of course, with many a stopgap project amongst larger projects going on here, it became a throw-it-up-and-leave-it kind of thing. The curtain needed to have its hem mended, the hardware was…cheap and it was just hanging, like a sad sack of potatoes.

So, when I finally got around to finishing Phase II of the Built-In, I decided it was time to do something about that laundry closet curtain.

I bought a nicer rod and some curtain clips and made a few modifications to the original Ikea LENDA curtain panel, like cutting off the curtain rod tabs and fixing the hem.

But, when I stood back and looked at it, it just made me feel sad. I’m usually all about simple linen curtains, but for some reason this guy just wasn’t doing it for me anymore.

So, I dug through my craft closet and found this striped upholstery fabric. It has that same linen look with the addition of navy stripes. I tucked the corners and hung it up to see how it looked and I think it’s just the right amount of pizazz.

See how the two look in a side-by-side comparison. I love the navy against the orange walls and even though it’s bordering on “Halloweeny”, I still love how it adds another pop to this part of the house. This wall is such a big feature in our home and I’m happy to bold it up as much as possible.

What do you think? Too much? I still need to sew a seam and hem this panel, so there’s still time to change my mind, but I got the thumbs up from Jeremiah {he’s very opinionated about design}, so I think this might be a keeper. Plus, see how I inadvertently matched a throw pillow on my couch!

And…here’s a quick update to the DIY Baby Swing. Getting the girls into the swings was a bit crazy, because the movable seatbelt bar didn’t stay up. I had to get pretty creative balancing it on my head while situating a baby. It just wasn’t safe and I had nightmares about the girls getting whacked in the head. Luckily my mom came up with a super easy solution.

I clipped a clothespin onto the rope.

Now, when we’re ready to get into the swings, I simply slide the bar up, clip the rope underneath and easily get the girls in before unclipped and sliding the bar back down. Phew! Gotta love the wisdom of moms {grandmas}.

3 weeks agoby jillianizeI should be finishing our P&L, booking our summer festival travel, running payroll, or (let's be honest) taking a nap, but sometimes banging down a wall (that's been plaguing your site lines since you moved in) is just the thing you need to get your work mojo back. Now onto those quarterly taxes... #smallbusinessowner

4 days agoby jillianize#Repost@womensmarch ( @get_repost ) ・・・ Today's #SignOfResistance is a reminder of who we are. Artwork by @tlynnfaz . Photo via @jillyaintfromphilly . • [IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A black and white photo of street art on a wall reads "America is black." Below the word "black" is a bold black line. Below that are 9 rows of text reading "it is native, it wears a hijab, it is a Spanish speaking tongue, it is migrant, it is queer, it is a woman, it is here, has been here." Below that is a bold black line. Below the line in bold black lettering reads "and it's…

3 days agoby jillianizeThis little girl has so much love to give. She is compassionate, kind, and incredibly patient (which is a blessing with such a headstrong twin sister). Officially, she is the oldest of our brood. She's a great "big" sister and I'm confident that she'll be an equally as amazing bigger sister as well! #bigsister#oldesttwin#ilikesmallwaves#beachbumpin